Ella Mohi-Henare won the youth female division of the 2024 Manu World Champs, but this year her friend won and she came second. Photo: Supplied
Ella Mohi-Henare from Te Papaioea (Palmerston North) has been popping "manus" since primary school.
"I've been doing manus since I was eight years old which carried on to intermediate and now high school and has been stuck since," Mohi-Henare said.
Mohi-Henare said to do a perfect "manu" bomb "you have to tuck back in a V-shape but not too far back to the point where you're going to back slap but to the point where your legs don't touch the water first, just your bottom, with the aim to make the biggest splash possible."
Now 14, Ella entered the Manu World Champs for the first time last year and won the youth female division.
"It was the hype of it all and seeing the posts that caught my eye," Mohi-Henare said.
She entered this year but didn't make a big enough splash and finished second.
She said "it sucked" coming second this year but she felt okay because her friend won.
Manu World Champs organiser Scott Rice said "manu" was uniquely Kiwi and many of the competitors, including himself, started at a young age.
"Doing bombs when I was younger and being around that scene was fun for me. And now my children really enjoy it too," Rice said.
Ella Mohi-Henare said her main place to practice her "manus" is at the Lido Aquatic Centre in her hometown.
Where she will continue to practice with the hope to win her title back and keep winning.
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